700 Club host Pat Robertson blamed an anonymous viewer’s attitude for their problems dealing with chronic illness in a viewer mail segment on Tuesday.

The viewer was disappointed that an undisclosed disease and financial hardship seemed to be God’s “plan.”

“My question is: What if you’re not a fan of His plan?” the viewer asked. “What then?”

“The first thing you’ve got to get straight is that what’s happening to you isn’t necessarily ‘God’s plan’ for you,” Robertson said in response, looking into the camera. “What is it Shakespeare said? ‘The fault, dear Brutus, is not with the stars, but with ourselves’? This stuff, maybe the problems you have come from your attitude.”

Chronic illness, Robertson said, can result from psychosomatic issues.

“I don’t want to make a broad statement, because doctors say there’s other things. Of course there are,” he continued. “But it just sounds like that you’ve got a negative attitude. You oughta be positive. You oughta praise the Lord.”

Robertson then recited Proverbs 17:22, saying, “a merry heart doeth good like medicine.” Literally speaking into the world around oneself, he continued, changed the world around a person.

“If you speak negatively you will have negative [consequences],” he said. “So don’t say it’s ‘God’s plan.’ I think that’s a misnomer.”

About the Author

Arturo R. García is the managing editor at Racialicious.com. He is based in San Diego, California and has written for both print and broadcast media, including contributions to GlobalComment.com, The Root and Comment Is Free. Follow him on Twitter at @ABoyNamedArt